Refusing to Fall
by littledemonpixie
Summary: You can't make a heart love somebody...RoyxRixa


**Refusing to Fall**

**By:** Comm. Butler

**Disclaimer:** You know I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters so don't pester me about it! I also do not own the song 'You Can't Make a Heart Love Somebody' that is property of George Strait and his label.

**Author's Note:** I LOVE floppy disks, since my computer has decided to hate me I'm using the ones at the library and I put this on a floppy and nowI can upload! YAY!

All right I haven't seen hardly any of these in the anime category but here I go I'm putting one out there! This is a SONG FIC! Not a musical, oh that's a good idea although now that I think about it… well we'll just have to see! So here we go. This is a one-shot! I repeat THIS IS A ONE-SHOT! Does everyone know what that means! One part that's it! So there! Sorry, now on with the story!

PS. The parts in _italics_ are the song just so you know, if this is your first experience with a song fic.

* * *

"Is that a piece of lint?"

"No SIR!"

"Good everything has to be perfect! And I mean EVERYTHING!" Colonel Roy Mustang demanded as he examined himself in the mirror. He had to admit he looked pretty damn sharp in his dress uniform. Havoc stood behind him and muttered,

"Yes sir. I've unplugged the phone and any other hindrances and ambiance is at 100 romantic!" Havoc snapped two.

"Well then what are you still doing here Havoc?"

"Right." Havoc started to leave when Mustang grabbed his arm.

"You sure this is going to be alright?" He asked nervously. Havoc smiled.

"Yep. You're going to be Furhur, what could happen? How could she refuse? Tonight is your night Colonel."

"Right. Good night Havoc." Mustang cleared his throat and walked out of his bedroom and onto his balcony. He had just brought this new apartment in Central. It was big enough for two, maybe even three… but he was getting way ahead of himself. His eyes drifted up to the sky freckled with the innocent stars. And his hand fingered the little velvet box in his pocket.

He heard a soft knock from the front door and then his ears picked up the door opening slowly and then the click of a heeled foot step into apartment. He turned to see Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye standing in the entry wearing a little navy blue dress that accentuated her long legs that were spread slightly for balance in the heels. Her blonde hair was down in soft silken waves and she had on light makeup. The only thing out of place was the handgun gripped in her right hand. He knew for a fact he could he her from this angle but she couldn't see him.

"Hello? I followed the directions on the Colonel's desk. Colonel Mustang, you here? Oh if this was a setup Havoc… I swear I'll shoot your balls off without a second thought!"

"No need to fret Riza I'm out here!." Mustang called. He was looking at the stars again. He heard her heels clicking on the hardwood floor towards him…

… _At a table for two,_

_With candle light and wine,_

_That diamond burning holes in his pocket,_

_Thinkin' 'Now's the perfect time.'…_

Riza wasn't sure about this so she kept her gun out. And stepped onto the balcony. Roy's back was to her and she took in her surroundings, candles, wine, moonlight, and roses… another half brained scheme of his to get her into his…

"Have a seat and don't look so serious. Put that gun away you won't need it to cut your steak."

"Sorry sir. Of course sir." Riza tucked the gun into her small purse and sat across from Roy uneasily. He didn't pull her chair out for her, and besides which she wouldn't have let him.

"Why did you invite me here sir?"

"It's Roy, and I got a new apartment and I thought you might like to see it. The view is the best part."

"Oh." Riza went silent after that and the two ate quietly. Suddenly Roy slammed his fork down and stood up. Riza looked up at him over the rim of her wine glass when he came to stand beside her. He dropped to one knee so fast that Riza pulled back a little and her wineglass shattered on the stone balcony as it left her hand. Oh no. She knew what was coming now. Instead of looking at Roy she turned to look at the wineglass, but Roy gently moved her to face him again.

"Hawkeye… Riza. I've wanted to say and do this for so long and this is the first time I've ever known well enough to do it. I know there hasn't been anything prior to this, but I don't want to waste precious time and I don't think we need it. For as long as I've known you… Riza please, right here and now please say that you'll marry me and become my wife." Roy held the small velvet box open for Riza to see the diamond ring nestled inside. Riza's eyes began to mist over as she looked at the ring glittering in the innocent moonlight and at Roy's loving and expectant face…

… _When he popped the question,_

_He could see the teardrops fill her eyes,_

_She said 'I knew this was comin' and I'm sorry but I hope you realize…_

"Oh Roy! I knew that this was bound to happen! I knew and I wanted… I still… I'm so sorry… I…"

"What is it? Riza is it too fast? Is there somebody? What can I do…Riza talk to me!" Roy demanded. Riza slid off her chair and into his arms. Roy held her while she broke down and kept muttering incoherently.

…_You can't make a heart love somebody,_

_You can tell it what to do but it won't listen at all,_

_You can't make a heart love somebody,_

_You can lead a hear to love but you can't make it fall_

_Then she reached fro his hand and said..._

Riza then stood slowly and stood at the balcony railing staring up at the stars trying to stop her tears.

"I've tried. I really have I want to so bad… My heart… it just won't…"

"Won't what?" Roy stood beside her and she took his hand.

"Roy? We've been through a lot together haven't we?"

"Yes, Riza yes we have. That's what makes me so sure about this. It's taken all I've ever had to wait this long. I every second I see you I want to…"

"I know Roy, I see it everyday."

"You do?"

"Clear as glass. I want you to understand how hard it is for me to say to you what I'm going to say but… I've done all I know how. Every other part of me has been so sure for so long but my heart… it just… I've fought and pushed and begged. Nothing is helping…"

…'_I want you to know,_

_I've done everything that I know of to make the feeling grow._

_I've begged and pleaded with my heart but there's no getting through._

_My heart's the only part of me that's not in love with you'…_

"Riza I want it plain and simple it's one little word. All you have to do is say…"

"I can't make my heart love you Roy. I've ordered it to do what I want but it's as deaf as a stone. I can't make it happen…" Riza whimpered and pressed her mascara-smeared face into Mustang's chest.

"So that's a no then." Roy gulped. "You did your best Riza, you alone have the best judgment, Riza. No harm done, your decision won't change that fact that I love you more then I could ever dream. I won't give up. Just let me know if you convince that heart of yours to feel the way you want it to. Don't hesitate just call… it doesn't matter when just as soon as you…" Roy placed a chaste kiss on Riza's lips and bit back his own tears at the same time. He then handed her, her purse and escorted her to the door.

"I'm so sorry to spoil your evening Roy."

"No, it was the best evening I've ever had, even if it didn't end the way I hoped. Holding you for that fraction of a second made it all worthwhile."

"Thank you Roy." Riza kissed his cheek and then walked down the hall leaving Roy very empty and alone. He walked dazed back onto the balcony where he picked up the box with the ring from where he had left it on the table and looking at it for a minute or two he chucked it down to the entrance courtyard below. He heard it hit the hard sidewalk below and then he collapsed in his chair and downed the rest of his glass and looked back up at the sky,

"Well Hughes I did it and you silly bastard… you never thought I would… I did but she-she turned me down! How's that for finding a good wife? What am I supposed to do now Hughes? She told me she didn't love me! Damn! Why is it out of all the women I could have picked, I _chose_ her. True I could chase her down and force her. I love her too much for that! Besides she'd probably shoot me! No! It wasn't supposed to go this way! What didn't I say? What didn't I do? Hughes where the hell are you when I need you…" Roy lay his head down on the table and didn't move for a long time…

… _You can't make a heart love somebody,_

_You can tell it what to do but it won't listen at all…_

Riza tossed and turned in her bed that night. Why couldn't she have just said 'yes'? How hard was it? Why couldn't she say those three little letters strung together in the word 'yes'? Her heart wasn't in it. That was why. It kept flashing the "DANGER: State Alchemist in an unstable government Heartbreak!" sign. It wasn't like Roy had done anything… except for Ishbal and he hated himself for that… but that didn't matter. He'd protected her and loved her for what she was. Why couldn't she just give in? Now as Riza dozed fitfully, clutching Roy's ring tightly in her fist, she wished that for once in her life that the defenses around her heart weren't so damn strong…

… _You can't make a heart love somebody,_

_You can lead a heart to love but you can't make it fall…_

* * *

Ten days past amazingly slow for both Roy and Riza. The tenth evening fell ominously upon Central. The two were preparing to go home to their lonely dinners and lonely beds when the phone rang on Colonel Mustang's desk.

"Colonel Mustang… Yes I was just getting ready to leave… No, why? I see… very well… I'm on my way…" Mustang hung up and looked at Hawkeye who was snapping a new clip into her gun.

"You ready Lieutenant?"

"You bet sir." Riza slid her guns into their holsters and threw on her jacket. It might rain tonight. Roy grabbed his alchemic gloves and the two were out the door and headed downtown…

The soldiers on duty welcomed the arrival of Mustang and Hawkeye or rather just Mustang. No one really paid much mind to Riza now. Word spread fast that she had turned down the Colonel's proposal. All of Central seemed to know and Havoc wasn't any help on the matter. As far as the soldiers were concerned Hawkeye was just a wonderful markswoman and a bitch for the most part.

The target stood in the center of the cobblestone street shouting obscenities to the soldiers who had him at gunpoint.

"Ahem! Didn't your mother teach you to play nice with the other kiddies?" Mustang made his presence known to the man who turned with a sadistic smile on his face.

"Well, well, well if it isn't the famous Flame Alchemist!" The alchemist transmuted a huge orb of stone at Roy who exploded it with a snap of his fingers and a rather loud explosion. The debris didn't phase the man who sent stone spikes and smaller orbs at Roy from all sides, who had quite a time dodging those, and he didn't come away without hurt either.

"Oh is that all the little Flame Alchemist has?"

"I'm just warming up."

The banter continued on this way until the sky was filled with smoke and the streetlamps glowed red through the dust. Riza kept watching the shadows moving back and forth, from a shooting distance outside of most of the debris. Roy always seemed to be in the way of a clean shot for her. The battle increased and when the alchemist produced a ball of gunpowder, Roy reacted too quickly and in that second between when the world slows down and then speeds up on impending death he realized his fatal mistake. His pillar of flame collided with the ball and sparks rained down the size of ravens and other animals. Then the explosion took over. Riza in an instant saw Mustang's silhouette disappear in a whirl of flame and debris as the wave of heat washed over her. She was cold anyway as she made a startling realization.

"Colonel!" Hawkeye dashed towards the settling debris. A few people tried to hold her back but she handed out a few well-placed kicks and punches and dashed into the mess that had been a bustling street.

"COLONEL MUSTANG!" She shouted over and over, turning over smoldering piles of rocks, flint and wood surprisingly. She was about halfway through the piles of destruction and called,

"ROOOYY…. EEK!" Riza fell and landed across something softer then rock.

"OOOUUFF!" The something breathed.

"Roy?" He turned her head to see Roy looking at her with a smile on his dirty face.

"Roy!" Riza moved so she was more on top of him and she hugged and kissed him frantically.

"R-Ri- RIZA!" Mustang said rather loudly. His voice interrupted the now still night and Riza stopped to look down at him he could see she was crying.

"What are the tears for?"

"Huh? Oh! I didn't even realize it…" Riza wiped them away and sat back so that Roy could sit up.

"Well I think we got…" Riza put a finger to her lips as she looked at the target out of the corner of her eye. None of the cops were paying attention to him as he walked away. Riza sent two shots out which blew off his kneecaps before turning back to Roy.

"Now I can talk."

"While a convict shrieks in agony, Riza you are one strange woman…"

"No, I just need to tell you before my heart gets up again. I'm saying yes. Yes Roy."

"Yes what?" Roy looked confused and then it dawned on him. "Really?"

"Really."

"Holy…" Roy about snapped his fingers when Riza grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers.

"When you disappeared in the flames a minute ago I realized it didn't matter what my heart said was wrong or right. I knew I would hurt if I lost you, no matter how strong my defenses were. I couldn't make my heart fall in love with you by itself so I had to trip it in the right direction. And really my heart tells my head what to do because technically my heart is what keeps me alive and so it's only logical…"

"Shhh. I told you it was a simple answer the other night and it still is. It sucks I threw the ring over my balcony and when I went to find it in the morning I couldn't…"

"Oh you mean this thing?" Riza pulled the little velvet box in question from her pocket and handed it to Roy.

"How did you…" Roy took the box from her and opened it as they stood. He removed the ring and tossed the box over his shoulder. He started to put the ring on Riza's finger when deep voice asked,

"What do you have to say Roy?" The voice was the Furhur. Great the party was all here. Roy got on one knee and took Riza's hand. It was almost like it was the other night on his balcony.

"Riza I'll make this short and sweet. Will you marry me?"

"Yes… mmph!" Riza was so surprised she dropped her gun from her free hand when Roy kissed her. She could feel the weight of the ring on her finger and it felt wonderful. Her arms encircled Roy's neck while his went to her waist. It didn't matter who was looking or applauding them now. The only things they were aware of were each other. Finally something had gone perfect for the both of them. Sure there had been a slight detour but both hearts were content to love one another for the rest of their lives. Maybe falling in love wasn't such a bad thing after all…

…_You can lead a heart to love,_

_But you can't make it fall…_


End file.
